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Finland’s PM, Sanna Marin faces backlash over a leaked video of her partying

Dubbed the “coolest politician in the world,” Marin has always been open and honest about her penchant for partying, and is often photographed at music festivals. 

Prime Minister Sanna Marin, 36, who currently holds the title as the youngest Prime Minister ever to be sworn into government, has never shied away from the fact that she is a regular person. But now, the PM is facing backlash over leaked party footage. 

“I have a family life, I have a work life and I have free time to spend with my friends. Pretty much the same as many people my age,” she said. “I am going to be exactly the same person as I have been until now and I hope that it will be accepted.”

sanna marin
Credit: Twitter

Footage leaked on social media on Wednesday, shows Marin and five other people dancing and singing, in what appears to be a gathering held at a private home. According to reports, the house party is not the primary issue, but more so, what one of the partygoers was shouting in the background – “jauhojengim,” which means “flour gang” in Finnish. The term is slang for cocaine.

It’s not immediately clear when the party was held, but it has prompted calls from the opposition for the PM to take a voluntary drug test, with opposition party leader, Riikka Purra suggesting there is a “shadow of doubt” hanging over Marin.

Marin has since denied taking any drugs during the privately held party, and has contested the perceived use of the term, “jauhojengi.”

“I have not used drugs myself, or anything other than alcohol. I’ve danced, sung and partied and done perfectly legal things,” the Finnish leader told reporters, and said that she was “disappointed” that footage had become public. Marin concluded that she would not change in the wake of the controversy, saying she intends to continue to be the same person as before.